Botany Bay

We pulled ropes through rings from our moring at Riley Green at 07.10 and had a good 6 hour cruise in front of us with a total of 7 locks which are the Johnson’s Hillock flight. There’s still some great country scenery to be had as we head towards Wigan which is our destination today.

We have come across a few locks like this before where the gate paddles are so high Carolyn has problems working them . On some they provide a step to bring you up to a higher level, but not on this flight.

Again I need to be careful not to go back to far in the lock as this amount of water leaking through the gate would soon sink us.

At the bottom of the flight and how the other half live . They have their own outside bar and BBQ.

This building dominates the skyline as we head towards Chorley. It’s the Preston Temple of the Church of Latter Date Saints.

A short distance from the Church was this imposing building which is Botany Bay . Having read the guide book last night it told me that it was a large old Mill that had been converted in to a slightly surreal shopping complex . I had purposely not mentioned it to Carolyn as I knew she would want to stop. Just our luck that we saw a couple of walkers and Carolyn asked them what was in the building “Oh you must stop and go in it’s amazing” they said . Anyway 2 hours after going in Carolyn emerged with a big grin on her face and says it was very good . If ever you are passing it’s well worth a visit she said.

After an 8 hour cruise , well actually 6 hours when you take out Carolyn’s shopping trip we arrived at Wigan top lock . Then another first for us happened . 10 minutes after mooring there was a knock on the side of the boat , I went out to see a person in a hoodie actually sat on the side of Inca. He then asked me if I wanted to buy any Ganga after someone down the locks had told him a blue boat at the top wanted some ,not having a clue what he was on about and obviously looking a bit stupid to him he said you know weed/cannabis .He said he just had a fresh supply come in from Amsterdam and it was some good shit. By this time Carolyn had come out and said no thanks, talk about being open with it.
Tomorrow we have arranged to drop down the locks at 09.00 and to be honest we don’t know what to expect after hearing so many stories about this flight , what ever happens it’s sure to be an experience.


                                                                                                                  Happy Days